Fluid current operated actuator



Nov. 24, 1942.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NMIMIYEWE); f

Nov. 24, 1942. N. A. BUCKLEY 2,302,572

' FLUID CURRENT OPERATED ACTUATOR Filed May 11, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I a "Y Vim 0, k y Q mun/$22422; TX 5 f;

Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,302,672 FLUID CURRENT OPERATED ACTUATOR Norman A. Buckley, Fredcricksburg, Va.

Application May 11, 1939, Serial No. 273,122

Claims.

This invention relates to an actuating device operable by air, or other fluid, currents which may be employed for various purposes where an actuating force and/or moving force of limited magnitude is useful.

While designed to be operated by fluid currents, whatever their character and origin, the invention is particularly useful for actuating purposes on vehicles. Because in such association the presence or absence of air currents depends on motion of the vehicle, the present device will be operative during travel of the vehicle and become automatically inoperative when the vehicle stops, and the device is therefore adapted for usages where the force developed can and should exist only while the vehicle is in motion.

Essentially the invention comprises a fluid current responsive element, to be referred to as a plane member, movable in a fixed path from a rest position to an extended position in response to fluid current transmitted in a given direction. Mounting means are provided to support the plane member for movement in its path. One of the particular features of the invention is that the mounting means is so arranged that substantially the same area of the plane member is acted on by a current of fluid when the member is at any position in its path, and accordingly, substantially the same force may be developed and maintained by the device at any position of its path after leaving its rest position. In its rest position, and for at least the major portion of the path the plane member will be supported at a relatively small acute angle to the direction of the fluid current, and in its extreme extended position the plane member may be maintained at such angle or may be brought to substantial parallelism with the operating current. In either case the plane member is caused to move outwardly on its mounting means more or less at right angles to the direction of the fluid current. The plane member thereby develops a lifting force capable of'sustaining a moderate weight, and which may be also transmitted through simple mechanical linkage into rectilinear or rotary motion.

The nature of the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the illustrative embodiments thereof and explanatory diagrams i1- lustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In such drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the essentials of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig, 1;

Fig. 9 is a similar diagrammatic View illustrating the path of movement of the second embodiment.

According to the invention the fluid current responsive .plane member is acted on much in the manner of an airplane wing. In its rest position the plane member must be inclined to the direction of travel of the current and be capable of movement outwardly relative to'a base member under the surface pressure or lifting power developed by the current. Normally the plane member will be mounted to move in an upward direction, but it may be equally well mounted to move outwardly in a horizontal direction, under actuation in both instances by a fluid current transmitted in a horizontal direction. A considerable variety of mountings may be resorted to. I have found it most convenient, however, to mount the plane member-for reciprocation in a curved path.

The embodiment of Figs. 1 to'3 may be best understood by preliminary reference to Fig. 8. In the latter View the plane member is designated M, and is shown in its rest position R. By reason of the inclination of the plane member a current of air orother fluid transmitted from the right will tend to move this member in an upward direction. In order to maintain a constant pressure on the plane member in various positions so that a constant lifting power or force F may be developed by the plane member, it is desirable that arrangement may be made that the angle of incidence of the current on the surface of the plane member shall not increase as the member assumes different positions. This may be obtained through the construction of the mounting means. Where the member is to be movable in a curved path the proper angle may be maintained if the lead edge of the plane member be maintained on an are P taken on the center A, and, the trailing edge of the plane member be maintained on an arc Q centering on point B. By reason of the particular spacing between center points A and B in Fig. 8 the plane member M may be brought to submed stantially parallelism with the direction of fluid current when in its extended position E.

In Fig. 1 the plane member is designated I8. The area thereof will be determined by the force desired to be developed, but ordinarily it will have an area measured in square inches. As illustrated, although not necessarily so, the plane member is substantially flat, and to insure the greatest pressure thereon from a fluid current lillle same may be provided with solid side pieces Plane member I is mounted for movement in a fixed path relative to a supporting base [2. The latter may take any convenient form. The mounting means here comprises a double-swinging arm mounting so arranged, as willbe understood from Fig. 2, that the plane member will remain almost at the same inclinationto-the direction of a fluid current during movement from its rest position to its extended position. A first pair of swinging "arms l3 supported by Shaft I4 in bearings l 5,-and a-second pair of-arms 16 supported by a shaft H inbearings lil pivotallyconnect-at their u-pperend through spaced pivot pins, or shafts, l9 and 2!) wi-th"theopposite frame members 2| and 22 which are secured'to the sides II of the plane member. By a suitable spacing of shafts l4 and II, and-'shafts-lQ'and 20,-and by suitably proportioning the lengthsof arms l3 and IS, the plane member 10 will beswung outwardly from its rest position on the basemember l2'through the various stages 'illustratedin Fig. 2 to its extreme extended position shown in'Fig. 1; whereas in its rest'position the plane member is inclined at an acute angle to the'direetionof a fluid current transmitted horizontally, in' its outer position it Will be substantilly horizontal. Suitable'stop means'may be provided to'determine the outward limit of movement of the plane member. In the present embodiment such stop means comprises bar 23 which, as thep'lane-member reaches theposition shown in-Fig. 1,- engages thefirstpair of swinging arms l3.

Whereitis desired tomaintain' the'original in clination of the plane member in its extreme extended position, andthereby preventanydiminishment of the force developed by the plane member, this may "be accomplished merely through adjusting the length of the swinging,

supporting arms and the spacingbetween'their pivotal connections'with the base"member"and the planemember. Fig. '9 diagrammatically il- 'lustrates an arrangement whereby thegplane member remains at thesame inclination during traverse through its path and in'its' extremeex tended positionE' as in its rest position R.

In such view the'points A and B 'aboutwhich'the forward andtrailing edges or the plane" member swing, respectively, through "arcs'P "and'Q', are more closely spaced together than the 'pivot points A and B according tothe arrangement shown in Fig. 8.

A construction accordingto Fig. 9. is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and such construction further represents a simplification over the construction of Fig. 1 in that only two swinging arms are'employed and these connect directly withthe'plane member. Plane member 3!) with its side members3l is generally similar to that previously described. The same is mounted on aibasemem- -ber'32 through a s'n-gle forward supporting'arm 33 pivoted on shaft 34 in bearing 35, and a rear supporting arm 36 pivotedthroughsha'ft"3T in bearing 38. The upper ends 'ofswinging'arms 33 and 36 are pivotallyconnected'to'the'plane'member 30 through spaced bearing members 39 and 40. As will be understood from Fig. 4 the particular spacing of bearings 35 and 38, and bearings 39 and 40, and the comparative lengths of arms 33 and 36 is such that the plane member remains at a constant inclination in all positions of its path of movement between its rest and extended position. As will be understood from Fig. the bearings and arms are slightly offset laterally so as not to interfere with one another.

To limit swinging movement of the plane member and determine its extreme extended position, stop means may be provided. In the present case such means comprises a projection 4| at -l5 "the lowerend of arm 36 which engages against the base member when the arm reaches a substantially vertical position. Obviously, however, other types of stops may be employed.

With either of the constructions illustrated and described, and whether the base member be iimounted 'so that the member swingsin a vertical plane or in a. horizontal plane, it will be evident that by reason of the initial inclination of the plane member relative to an air, or other fluid, current the plane member Wl11.:b8l moved outwardlyaway from its supporting base through an arcuate path (of 90, moreor less) to .itsiextreme extended position. During the .entire movement .of the plane member, substantially the 030 same fluid pressure will act against'the plane member'and produce a component. of forceina direction substantially'atright angles to the directionof current. 1 The forceideveloped will be exactly the same under all'circumstances accord- 5 ing to the arrangements illustrated in Figs.'4,' 5 and 9. According to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8 the plane member :assumed a position substantially horizontal to the direction of current'when in its extreme extended position so as to avoid strain onthe parts of the device,

and while the angle of incidence has been reduced to zero the lifting effect'of the current will enable the plane member to exert the same force or, if the force tends to diminish, the plane member will move forwardly to a point on its path Where itWill assume an angle'sufficient to maintainwhatever force is necessary.

"The plane'member will be maintained in operative position at some point in its path depending on the strength of the fluid current until the current is stopped or substantially diminished. Where the actuator is employed on a vehicle such as an automobile, this latter condition will be brought about when motion ceases, or the *speed is materially diminished. When this occurs the plane member will automatically reversely swing to its rest position by gravitation. In some instances where the plane member is mounted for movement in a vertical plane it may be desirable to provide means to retard movement back to its rest position. Again, where the plane member is to move in a horizontal plane,

it will be desirable to provide'means to move the plane member back to its rest position when (w the fluid current ceases. A similar arrangement may be utilized for either of these purposes. One type of arrangement is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 as employed in the construction of Figs. 4 and 5.

H The same comprises a simple coil spring 42 surrounding shaft 34 which is anchored at one end to the swinging arm 33 and at the otherend to the supporting bearing 35. It will be obvious that the spring will'be wound to act in the reverse direction Where it is to serve to return the plane member to its rest position ascompa-red It will be evident that an object at driving speed will lift a Weight as high as nine ounces. Again, through movement in its path the plane member may transmit motion and/or exert a substantial force. Such motion and force may be transmitted through suitable connecting linkage either with the supporting arms or the shafts adjacent the base member upon which the supporting arms are mounted.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the mounting means for the plane member may be varied considerably from the several forms here illustrated, and that the plane member itself may be constructed in a variety of shapes. The drawings are therefore to be only taken as illustrative and the scope of the invention judged by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid current responsive device comprising stationary base means, a wing member movable by fluid currents flowing generally lengthwise thereof in a fixed path from a rest position adjacent to the stationary base means crosswise of the fluid current direction outwardly and away from the base means to a buoyant position determined by the support given the wing member by the fluid currents, and mounting means on the base means supporting the wing member at an acute angle of incidence to the fluid current direction while in its rest position adjacent to the base means and supporting the wing member during movement by the fluid currents outwardly from the base means throughout its entire path at an angle of incidence no greater than that angle of incidence when the wing member is in rest position adjacent the stationary base means.

2. A fluid current responsive device comprising stationary base means, a wing member movable by fluid currents flowing generally lengthwise thereof from its rest position adjacent the base means in a fixed path relative to the stationary base member crosswise of the fluid current direction to a buoyant position determined by the support given the wing member by the fluid currents, and means attached to the base means for holding said wing member during movement from its rest position through the first part of its path so inclined that unit surface area of said member is subject to fluid current pressure of substantially constant magnitude during the first part of its path, and holding the wing member at a decreased inclination when the wing member reaches its buoyant position so that the unit surface area of said member is subject to fluid current pressure of less magnitude than during the first part of its path.

3. A fluid current responsive device comprising a stationary base means, a fluid current impelled Wing member capable of movement from a rest position adjacent to the stationary base means by fluid currents from its rest position in an outward direction at right angles to the direction of fluid current transmission to a buoyant position determined by the support given the wing member by the fluid currents, and means attached to the base means supporting said member when in rest position with its operating surface in inclined relation to the direction of fluid current transmission, and supporting the wing member during said outward movement in substantially the same inclined relation to said fluid current direction.

4. A fluid current responsive device comprising stationary base means, a fluid current impelled wing member movable relative to the stationary base means in a transverse path from its rest position adjacent to the stationary base means to a buoyant position away from the stationary base means under fluid current pressure transmitted in a given direction at an angle to the wing member, and means attached to the base means for maintaining the wing member at an inclination to the direction of fluid current transmission in its rest position and through the major portion of its path, and maintaining the wing member in substantially parallel relation to the fluid currents when the wing member is in its buoyant position.

5. A fluid current responsive device comprising a rigid base member, a front swinging arm member pivoted at its inner end to said base member, a second swinging arm member pivoted at its inner end to the base member at a point spaced rearwardly of the front arm member, a frame member spacing, and pivotally connecting with, the outer ends of the front and rear arm members, and being supported by the arm members in a rest position adjacent the base member for movement rearwardly and outwardly from the base member in a fixed curved path, said frame member having an extension portion projecting rearwardly of the pivotal connections of the frame member with the swinging arm members, and a fluid current impelled wing member secured to said extension portion of said frame member for movement by fluid currents outwardly and rearwardly with the frame member and swinging arm members from said rest position of the frame member, said wing member having an inclination relative to the fluid currents when in rest position adjacent the base member, and having an inclination no greater than that inclination when the wing member is in its rest position, during its movement from rest position.

NORMAN A. BUCKLEY. 

